Problems in Latin Literature: The Ethics and Ambiguities of Ovid's Love Poetry

In this course we will explore the ethical challenges of reading Ovid's Ars Amatoria and Remedia Amoris by following the conflicting perspectives that these texts encourage us to adopt. They will be read in light of the controversies they have sparked for both their ancient and modern readers. We will consider how they relate to ancient philosophical studies on the nature of love and friendship and the recent scholarly shift that has sought to view them as morally transformative works on the art of living. Part of this course will involve collaborating on a digital commentary for book 1 of Ovid's Ars.